25 Americans confirmed dead by Hamas terrorists in Israel
The number of Americans killed by Hamas terrorists in Israel has now reached 25, Secretary of State Antony Blinken revealed on Thursday. Hamas terrorists based in Gaza first entered Israel Saturday in a surprise multi-front attack that has left at least 1,200 Israelis dead in less than a week. Thousands more are injured and there are still hostages being held in Palestinian territory.
Arriving in Tel Aviv, Israel on Thursday morning, President Joe Biden's State Department head told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: 'We are with you and not going anywhere.' 'Thank you tremendously,' Netanyahu responded.
On Friday, Blinken, who is Jewish, will also sit down with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The updated death toll of 25 comes after it was revealed the day prior that the number of Americans killed in the Hamas atrocities reached at least 22 by Wednesday. There are still thousands of U.S. citizens in Israel unaccounted for.
Blinken touched down in Tel Aviv at approximately 3 a.m. Eastern Time, 10 a.m. local time in Israel. He was greeted on the tarmac by Israeli government officials who offered him a warm embrace. Blinken is joined on his mission of peace to Israel by his Deputy Chief of Staff Tom Sullivan, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller, Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf, Special Representative for Palestinian Affairs Hady Amr, and Deputy Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Steve Gillen.
The meeting comes as Israel continues to bombard the Hamas stronghold of Gaza as part of the country's counteroffensive, which could extend to a ground assault this week as troops mobilize across Israel. Israel's retaliatory air strikes on Gaza have resulted in the death of 1,100 people in the region.
Less than 24 hours prior to Blinken's arrival in Israel, the world's largest warship, the USS Gerald Ford Strike Group, arrived in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. According to a press release from U.S. Command Central, the movement to the region was to 'deter any actor seeking to escalate the situation or widen this war.'
Capt. Angelica White, spokesperson for the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, told Marine Corps Times that the group was given orders to return to ships and end their exercises in Kuwait early. She said the orders for Marines and Sailors to return to their ships was in order 'to prepare for further tasking as a result of emerging events,' but did not clarify if that was in regard to the terrorist attacks in Israel. Read the full story: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12623197/Antony-Blinken-reveals-American-death-toll-Hamas-terrorist-attacks-Israel-reached-25.html?ito=msngallery
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